ACCC eyes complaints about NRMA

Natalie O'Brien

UNHAPPY NRMA customers, smash repairers and former staff have come forward with complaints about the insurance giant and a Senate Estimates hearing was told last week that the competition watchdog is considering a probe into alleged anti-competitive behaviour.

The NSW Nationals senator John Williams raised the issue in Parliament, saying he was very concerned about claims of the NRMA's bullying and deceptive behaviour, first reported by Fairfax Media.

Nigel Ridgway, group general manager at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, told the estimates hearing he was aware of the problems.

''The ACCC is considering a volume of material which has been provided by motor repairer representatives,'' he said.

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An investigation by Fairfax Media revealed last week that the NRMA is facing legal action for misleading and deceptive conduct after being accused of bullying its car insurance customers and using scare tactics to stop them choosing their own independent smash repairer.

Customers have also come forward complaining that they had been stood over and intimidated by NRMA representatives.

One repairer emailed Fairfax: ''My turnover has greatly decreased and it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain my business. I am possibly being faced with financial ruin.''''

A NRMA spokesman said the company was not aware of any issue. However, it would welcome any approach from the ACCC, or Senator Williams, to discuss its Partner Smash Repairer network.

''Every repairer in NSW had the opportunity to apply to be part of the network in a fair and transparent process, which at the end of the day is designed to protect our customers,'' the spokesman said.

It has started legal action against the NRMA accusing it of maliciously slurring the company and diverting customers to NRMA-preferred repairers.

Atlas's complaints have been echoed by dozens of other smash repairers.

An ACCC spokeswoman said that any conduct by businesses that was misleading or deceptive was prohibited and concerns may arise where consumers were misled into error from representations used as part of the promotion of products or services.

''The most important factor in determining whether conduct may be misleading is the overall impression imparted to the audience,'' she said.